You Can Live Your Life to the Max - It's a Matter or Ritual

Researchers tell us that there is a universal rhythm to all life. 

All life seems to share an internal clock that is in tune with the whole creation –
and in sync with some cosmic clock. 

There seems to be a basic human need our whole species has,
that is the need for periodic time of rest – daily and weekly.

We ignore our God created rhythms at our own peril.

We may not fully understand what happens when we stop daily and weekly, and meditate and pray and experience the community of Christ, but we are better for it.


From the Ancient Texts:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
From the Early Church: Revelations 21:1-7

Jesus said I have come that you might have an abundant life – that you might live a full life – that you might live it to the max – being all you were meant to be (which is so much more than you ever thought possible).

Each of us can live a fuller life.
In the weeks past we have seen how:
It’s a matter of choice: and we are exhorted to choose now.
It’s a matter of allegiance: all or nothing.
It’s a matter of finding community.
It’s a matter of focusing on others.
It’s a matter of attitude.
And, today I hope to show how ritual contributes to a fuller, more abundant, life.

Two fairly recent longitudinal studies of the physical and mental health of several populations that reveal several factors that seem to affect people's health.

Two of the findings of these studies were of interest to me:

First: People who go to church regularly are healthier than those who don't go to church regularly; and

Second: People who go to church regularly live longer than those who don't go to church regularly.

From other reading and studies, I had some hunches as to why this may be so.

Aside from pious sermons and preachers' platitudes, there seems to be an outpouring of scientific studies recently, in several different fields of inquiry, that help to answer these questions.

Today, I want to share with you some ideas about the power of ritual – ritual, a virtue that will help you live a better life.

Some of knew my Dog, Ike.
Ike was a Basset Hound who lived with us 7 or 8 years after he retired from the show circuit.

One of these days I am going to elaborate on what I have learned from my dog: the gospel according to reverend Ike. [But that's another sermon.]
One of the things that my dog Ike reminded me of, and what anyone who has ever lived with a pet finds out,
is that all living creatures are governed by an internal clock.

Ike would wake up and want to go outside everyday at about the same time.
And, he usually was not in a position to see a clock.
And, I never taught him to tell time.
But he knew.
And, you know, he is completely oblivious to daylight savings time.
Much to my chagrin, he never knew when we changed the clocks.
And he knew when it was time to go bed.
His sleep at night was different from his naps during the day.
During the day, he may have been lying still with his eyes shut, and from all appearances he was asleep, but he apparently was very alert to all activities around him.
When anyone came into the room, he was up instantly and alert.
But, at night, after he decided it was time to call it a day, it would take dynamite to wake him and get him to move.
He was naturally in tune with a rhythm that was somehow beyond our mechanical timekeeping.

Ike reminded me that scientific studies conclude that all creation –  all life on our planet –
all animals, all plants, all mammals, all humans –  seem to have an internal clock that is in tune with a certain circadian rhythm.
Researchers at the Center for Biological Timing say that these clocks are endogenous –
they are developed internally somehow.
They seem to be inherited and do not require, or need, any outside influences.
They have shown that animals raised in total darkness, still have biological clocks that are rhythmic in nature.

Think about it.
 How does that happen?
All life seems to share an internal clock that is in tune with the whole creation –
and in synch with some cosmic clock.

That may not come as a surprise to those of us who grew up in the church and came to know the story of God creating the universe.
But, for scientific researchers from all kinds of fields –  biology, micro-biology, botany, human behavior, and on and on –
for researchers to tell us that there is a universal rhythm to all life,
actually confirms some of what our faith has been telling us.
Not only do we have circadian [or daily] rhythms that we are in tune with.
But we have circannual [or seasonal] rhythms, as well.
And the scientific community knows much less about how these work.
But, work they do.

We seem to be a cyclical people.
We organize our lives around certain rhythms or cycles, don't we?
Some people organize their whole year around a sports season, don't they?
And when something happens, like say, the players go on strike?
and the season is canceled?
We see them get all out of sorts.

Some people used to organize their lives around the television season, remember?

Some people organize their lives around the school season, don't they?

Some people have summer homes, and organize their lives around spending time here and there.
We seem to have a need to create our own rituals that inform and govern how we live.

All of us have daily rituals, don't we?
(Daily rituals that when interrupted, we get all out of sorts.)

One of the basic stories of our faith describes a ritual God used in creating the universe.
You know the story, God created the world in six days.

But, creation is not a six day cycle, is it?

No, it's a seven day cycle, isn't it?

God created the universe in six days, and on the seventh day rested, rejuvenated, enjoyed.

And that is the cycle that we seem to be plugged into.

Indeed, the truth of this has been know from ancient times.
At the beginning of the Hebrew religion, Moses came down from the mountain with the 10 commandments from God.
And the fourth commandment refers to this universal rhythm of life:
Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy....
You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me.

On that day, no one is to work –  neither you, nor your children, nor your servants, nor your animals, nor the aliens who live in your country.

This speaks to a basic part of our genetic make up. This speaks to a circannual rhythm of life.
This speaks to a basic need that we have to stop,
to rest,
to contemplate,
to rejuvenate,
to enjoy our surroundings.

Our Granddaddys, and Grandmammas in the faith, recognized this some 5,000 years ago.
And we have been told this all our lives.

And now scientific evidence seems to confirm that this cycle is basic to our existence,
basic to our make up,
basic to our well-being.

Again, the times and seasons mentioned in Ecclesiastes acknowledge the cyclical nature of our lives and our basic need for ritual.

Now, we humans have ingeniously developed a myriad of ways to circumvent our internal clock and the natural circadian rhythms.
We invented the light bulb to extend our day well into the night.
We invented the Eleven O'Clock News and Charlie Rose to override our internal clock
and keep us awake well past our internal clock that governs the shutdown of our bodies and minds for rejuvenation.

We invented the alarm clock to wake us up because we don't trust, or don't hear the internal clock that lets us know its time to awake.

We invented a whole host of activities that occupy our weekend time providing conflict with time allotted for worship and education and spiritual growth.

We work hard at our play all weekend, and face the rest of the week unrefreshed, unrejuvenated, unrested.

We read books,
and listen to tapes,
and revere those who teach us to use our time wisely, and efficiently, so we can get more done.

And we honor those who "work the hardest".
But, the latest health studies confirm what our ancestors in the faith knew all along:
when you ignore the rhythms of the universe,
when you ignore the circadian and circannual rhythms,
when you ignore your basic need for ritualistic sabbath time –
a time we all need for rejuvenation, revitalization, rebirth –
when you ignore a ritualistic day of rest,
you experience burnout,
elevated blood pressure,
heart disease, stroke, cancer, sleep disorder, obesity, autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis –
and a host of other related problems.

There seems to be a basic human need our whole species has,
that is the need for periodic time of rest – daily and weekly.

Now, most of you know this.
And this is where this church is different from a lot of churches.
Most of you are here today because you want to be –  most of you are here today because you really would rather not be somewhere else.

I know for a fact, that some of you went through a great deal of pain and trouble and it took a lot of effort to get here.
But you are here.

And the rest of us truly take inspiration from your presence.

Most of you want to be here on Sunday, because it helps you get through the rest of the week, doesn't it?

Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy....
Make it a day of rest, dedicated to me.
You will be better for it.

I really don't know if anyone in this room suffers from sleep deprivation.
But, we all have known people, and have read about people who seem to thrive on only 3 or 4 hours of sleep a day, haven't we?
I can't remember what the medical term is for that, but you know what I mean.

Some of you may have seen the recent article in the paper of a recent study of these people. Actually, several longitudinal studies have shown that these people –
who may supplement their 3 hours of nightly sleep with a brief nap or two during the day –
naps usually of only 10 - 20 minutes duration -- these studies show that these people,
for the most part, show no diminished brain processes, no diminished motor skills,
no diminished capacities what-so-ever.
In fact, people who experience this particular sleep pattern are frequently our most brilliant, our most creative, our most talented people.

But, there is one curious finding of these studies. For the most part, these people don't grow old.

For the most part, these people do not live to be 80 and 90 or 100.
Most don't make it into their sixties.
While these people go through their lives as though they were somehow super-charged,
something happens to their bodies that cuts short the expected life span of most mortals.

It is possible to ignore our internal clocks and to silence the circadian rhythm our Creator endowed us with.

But, when we do, we shorten our God-given time and short-circuit our God-given endowments.

Modern scientific evidence tells us what our faith has passed on for centuries, we absolutely need periodic time for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Our bodies and our minds, do in fact experience a rejuvenation during periodic periods of rest:
On a daily basis,
on a weekly basis,
on an annual basis.

We ignore our God created rhythms at our own peril.

We may not fully understand what happens when we stop daily and weekly, and meditate and pray and experience the community of Christ, but we are better for it.

There is healing power in the ritual of observing a sabbath.

There is healing power in the ritual of going to church regularly.

There is healing power in taking time regularly to dwell on things beyond our selves, to cultivate the presence of Christ, to exercise our souls.

Observe the sabbath and keep it holy.
Behold, I make all things new again. ..I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
To anyone who is thirsty, I will give the right to drink from the spring of the water of life without paying for it.
 Whoever wins the victory will receive this from me: I will be his God, and he will be my child.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, for sure, there is healing power in ritual.
Many of you in this room already know the truth of this.
And the good news for the rest of us, is that we can test this out.

We are better off, unquestionably, unequivocally, and undoubtedly, when we observe a ritual of going to church regularly;
When we observe a ritual of daily quiet time in prayer;
When we observe a ritual of giving thanks to God for all things in our lives.

There is healing power in ritual.

You know it.

God promises it.

Tell the children.

Tell your friends.

Tell everyone you know.

Something powerful is going on here.

Amen.

The congregation of Christ Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, experienced this sermon during a worship service October 23,  2011.